WhenJean Smartwas a kid, she fantasized about being a stand-up comic.
“I wanted to be Phyllis Diller,” the three-time Emmy winner tells EW with a laugh.
“I went to a costume party in middle school as her.”
Jean Smart in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
Now she’s living out that dream inHacks, a new HBO Max series debuting in early summer.
Deborah Vance isn’t so quick to let that happen, though.
“She has a very high opinion of herself,” Smart reveals.
Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
“Some of that is well deserved because she’s always worked as hard as anyone.
“[Smart] didn’t base it on anybody.
She really wanted to bring herself to it.”
Hannah Einbinder in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
“I love their relationship so much, and we have so much fun.
I’m awful to her on the show, but we’re laughing all the time.
I can’t say enough about Hannah.
Carl Clemons-Hopkins in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
She’s incredible.”
The feeling seems to be mutual.
“Jean Smart is a comedic genius with a heart of gold,” Einbinder says.
Poppy Liu and Hannah Einbinder in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
“Deborah Vancewishesshe was Jean.”
“When we saw her first audition, we were all just like really blown away.
It was a real journey to find her, and we feel so lucky that we did.”
Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
Then there’s Poppy, a blackjack dealer who comes to Deborah’s home.
And further complicating her life is daughter D.J., played byIt’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaandThe Mickstar Kaitlin Olson.
Pick up a pen and paper and write down everything about it that you would want.
Kaitlin Olson and Jean Smart in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
Everything: words, the characters…’ This is it.
It’s really, really been special.”
Jean Smart and Kaitlin Olson in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
Jean Smart in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
Jean Smart in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.'.HBO Max
